News Photo by Jordan Spence Alpena Community College faculty demonstrate how to use a patient simulation manikin during the ACC Foundation kickoff event for the Van Lare Hall renovation on Thursday in Alpena.

ALPENA — More steps have been taken to move Alpena Community College’s Van Lare Hall renovation project forward.

The ACC Foundation had a kickoff event for the project Thursday at the college. During the event, college officials discussed the funding they have and still need and what the renovation would entail.

“This represents a big step forward for us at ACC,” college President Don MacMaster said. “We really got started on this in the fall of 2015. I just became president and every fall, presidents submit capital outlay proposals to the state. The state told us don’t submit anything that has new construction in it because we won’t be able to fund it; renovation projects, they would fund that.”

MacMaster noted the renovations are needed to the building because it houses essential college functions, including the business office, human resources, student services, academic leadership and more. He said it’s in dire need of a new heating and cooling system, fire suppression, more energy efficiency measures, and space for the college’s nursing program.

Campaign Chair Georgene Hildebrand said the nursing program is imperative to ACC and they need updates to expand the program and make it more competitive with the rest of the state.

“This last year, 100 percent of the (ACC) participants passed the nursing exams the first time, 67 percent are now employed by Alpena area clinical partners,” she said. “There will be seven multi-purpose classrooms that will be renovated, shared by ACC students and are specialized nursing programs. There is a basic learning lab equipped with beds and manikins to practice basic nursing skills and a beautiful debriefing room to help them after a lab.”

The college plans for its nursing program is to double in size. The project will more than quadruple the size of the hall from 1,460 square feet to 5,760 square feet.

There will be a bump-out in the additional building that will have a view of the sculptures that will be revealed next month.

The nursing labs will be designed to look like a home, hospital and birthing room.

ACC Director of Nursing Melissa Fournier said they are excited to have the manikins (two birthing manikins two newborns, one pediatric and an adult male), because the ones they currently use are 20 years old.

ACC Foundation Executive Director Brenda Herman noted some of the ways the project has been funded.

“We received a dollar-for-dollar match of $3.35 million from the State of Michigan through the capital outlay program,” she said. “Sold a piece of property on corner of Johnson and Wilson streets and applied the $500,000 from the sale to the project. The Besser Foundation has approved a matching grant of $600,000, as well as releasing $340,000 in restricted infrastructure funds to be used for Van Lare Hall renovations. Early commitments of about $585,000 from faculty staff, board members and community pay setters.”

She also announced a donation from Tim and Sue Fitzpatrick of $1million.

Herman said they’ve been excited to start on the project and construction is slated to begin in January and finish in January 2020.

Jordan Spence can be reached at jspence@thealpenanews.com or 989-358-5687.